The John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway provides easy access to hikes that go into the southern part of Yellowstone National Park. For more detailed information about hiking there, visit a Yellowstone Visitor Center or Yellowstone's Backpacking & Hiking page.
The Beula Lake trail offers a short day hike or overnight trip to a tranquil lake popular with fisherman. The roundtrip distance is 5.2 miles out and back.
NPS Photo/Danielle Lehle
Trailhead Directions: Drive 10 miles west of Flagg Ranch (2 miles south of the Yellowstone boundary) to Grassy Lake Reservoir. The trailhead is not marked, but it's a steep pullout on the north side of the road at the east end of the reservoir.
NPS Photo/Danielle Lehle
The hike to Beula Lake starts with a short climb over a small ridge and then drops down to Beula Lake. After 0.5 miles from the trailhead, the trail crosses the South Boundary Trail. The path passes through lodgepole pine forests of different ages, with some younger forests growing back after the 1988 fires.
NPS Photo/Danielle Lehle
Beula Lake is a fairly large lake about 107 acres in size, and it supports a healthy cutthroat trout population. Those wishing to break out the fishing gear need to pick up a Yellowstone Fishing License; find out more at Yellowstone's Fishing and Fisheries Science Page.
NPS Photo/Danielle Lehle
-DL